The Prince and the military

[toolman1]

Question to our English friends.

I saw on our news that Prince Harry will be headed for Iraq. This started me wondering. I also remember Prince Charles was in the military. It doesn't seem to me that a person in line for the Throne should be placed in harms way.

MY QUESTION:
Is it expected, mandatory, or tradition that a Prince in line for the Throne serve in the military?

 

[London Colin]

Tradition, I'd say.

The last Royal to serve in a war was Prince Andrew in the Falklands. Someone's been busy keeping Wikipedia up to date. It says everything I was going to say, and more -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blues_and_Royals

The Colonel-in-Chief is Her Majesty The Queen and the Colonel is HRH The Princess Royal. Both HRH Prince William of Wales and HRH Prince Harry of Wales joined the regiment as cornets in 2006.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on February 22, 2007 that Harry, who is third in line to the throne, will join his Blues and Royals regiment in Iraq as a “long-planned rotation of troops.” Britain’s Prince Harry was said to be “over the moon” about the British army’s decision to send him on a tour of duty to southern Iraq later this year.

The deployment was expected in May or June of this year. The 22-year-old prince will be the first member of the royal family to serve in a war-zone in 25 years. His uncle, Prince Andrew, served as a helicopter pilot in the 1982 Falklands war against Argentina.

The concern being voiced over here is not so much about Harry's own safety, but rather that he might get singled out as a particular target, which could have consequences not just for him. but also for those around him.

I think Prince William, who is likely to become King at some point, is still in training -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5367862.stm
I can't imagine they'd ever both be deployed in a war zone at the same time, but who knows?